A Promise of Restoration
“Remember then what you received and heard; obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 Yet you have still a few persons in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; they will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.” - Revelation 3:3-4
When Christ stands at your door and knocks, if you are faithful and to answer, you will receive what He has to offer. He will not force His way in. He will not beat down the door. We must let Him in. And we are likely to do that when we understand what Christ is offering to each of us at the door.
God offers the promise of restoration. John opens chapter three of Revelation with a message to the church of Sardis. This once wealthy and powerful city had, by the time of John’s revelation, been devastated by foreign domination, natural disaster, idolatry, and financial indebtedness to Rome. It was a place ripe for the Gospel, as is the case quite often when people are faced with bad news.
In these times, there was a great opportunity for good news, and the church planted in Sardis thrived and grew because of this. The problem with the church at Sardis was that its growth was purely numerical and not spiritual. They had a lot of bodies in the building, a lot of people in the pews, and a very nice edifice in town.
It was the happening place to be, according to verse one. It had a great name around town. Everyone talked about the church—its campus, its brand, its profile, its program, and its facilities. However, despite having a name and reputation around town for being alive, it was spiritually dead.
However, in Revelations 3:4, Jesus recognized the remnant of believers who remained faithful and encouraged repentance in order to receive restoration.
So many of us have experienced Sardis. We go through the motions, but spiritually we are not being moved. We are not growing. We are not being fulfilled in our walk with Christ. The crisis we are in is testing our faith, deepening our doubts, and challenging our convictions. We are living, but spiritually, our faith is dead.
God intends for the substance of who we are to outweigh what we present on the surface. So He encourages us to remain faithful and stay in communion with Him, so He can restore us. Do not remain spiritually dead in your faith. Allow God to restore you today and find what He has to offer on the other side of the door!
When Christ stands at your door and knocks, if you are faithful and to answer, you will receive what He has to offer. He will not force His way in. He will not beat down the door. We must let Him in. And we are likely to do that when we understand what Christ is offering to each of us at the door.
God offers the promise of restoration. John opens chapter three of Revelation with a message to the church of Sardis. This once wealthy and powerful city had, by the time of John’s revelation, been devastated by foreign domination, natural disaster, idolatry, and financial indebtedness to Rome. It was a place ripe for the Gospel, as is the case quite often when people are faced with bad news.
In these times, there was a great opportunity for good news, and the church planted in Sardis thrived and grew because of this. The problem with the church at Sardis was that its growth was purely numerical and not spiritual. They had a lot of bodies in the building, a lot of people in the pews, and a very nice edifice in town.
It was the happening place to be, according to verse one. It had a great name around town. Everyone talked about the church—its campus, its brand, its profile, its program, and its facilities. However, despite having a name and reputation around town for being alive, it was spiritually dead.
However, in Revelations 3:4, Jesus recognized the remnant of believers who remained faithful and encouraged repentance in order to receive restoration.
So many of us have experienced Sardis. We go through the motions, but spiritually we are not being moved. We are not growing. We are not being fulfilled in our walk with Christ. The crisis we are in is testing our faith, deepening our doubts, and challenging our convictions. We are living, but spiritually, our faith is dead.
God intends for the substance of who we are to outweigh what we present on the surface. So He encourages us to remain faithful and stay in communion with Him, so He can restore us. Do not remain spiritually dead in your faith. Allow God to restore you today and find what He has to offer on the other side of the door!
Subscribe Now for Free Daily Devotions
Recent
Archive
2025
January
Plenty of RoomThankful for Your SeatWho God Invites to the TableThat’s the PointWe Do Not Have a Monopoly on GodStop Talking So LoudLet God Handle the Guest ListA Long-Awaited ReunionSeeing Jesus for YourselfIn Possession of a Personal PromiseGet in the Right PositionReady to ReceiveAligning Your Life for God's PromiseWaiting with ExpectancyGrounded in PrayerStrength in PrayerPatience Through PrayerStay Focused Through PrayerGod's Conditional PromisesGod’s PriorityGrounded in FaithTrusting God's TimingThe Assurance of God's PromisesIs It Well With Your Soul?Health vs. HealingStewarding Your BodyA Holistic View of SpiritualityGod Cares About Your BodyWhat You Put in MattersNourishing Your SoulThe Power of Prevention
February
The Power of a ComebackHealing from the PastStop Blaming and Start TrustingBury the Past to Claim the FutureFacing Trauma with TruthCelebrate That You SurvivedRepair What is BrokenNothing God Can’t FixDon’t Swing at Bad PitchesStick to God’s PlanDon’t Let Desperation Drive YouShift Your WeightWho Knows Best?A Good Idea Isn’t Always a God IdeaPeace in God’s PlanFinding Purpose in God’s PlanProsperity in God’s PlanTrusting God’s Plan, Pace, and ProcessKnowing When to PivotGod Hasn’t Given Up on YouNext-Level Faith Requires PerseveranceA New Revelation of GodIt’s Not All About YouNext-Level ConnectionsNext-Level CommitmentA Prayer That Moves GodPrayers That Carry a BurdenPray With Boldness
March
A Solid FoundationPositioned for BlessingMarked by LoveTrust God's JudgmentRest in God's DeliveranceLet Go of ControlWhat You Want MostWhy Church Still MattersFaith in the Midst of DisappointmentJoy for the JourneyA Place of SafetyStrength in CommunityPeace in the ChaosThe Purpose of the ValleySeasons ChangeUnshaken in the StormHold OnThe Power of ResilienceNever AloneGod Is Closer Than You ThinkLet Go of WorryLet Go of WorryBelieve Before You SeeResilient FaithHow to Be a Success God's WayTrue Success Starts with the SoulSuccess Through SurrenderCharacter That Speaks for ItselfThe Power of Being RealKeep GrowingSuccess in the Face of Opposition
No Comments